A PAIR of songbirds are flying high after winning through to the regional finals of a Rotary-backed mission to find the nation’s top young musical performers.

Darwen Vale High School was the backdrop for the Lancashire and Cumbria round of the Rotary Young Musician of the Year competition, which saw eight instrumentalists and six vocalists battle for supremacy.

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Bethany McCrystal, 15, who attends Balshaw High in Leyland, walked away with the singing crown, after tackling Harry Warren’s At Last, Schonberg’s On My Own and The Bonny Lighter-boy.

Her efforts just pipped Crawshawbooth opera starlet Grace O’Malley who, like Bethany, has qualified for the North West England and North Wales finals at Crewe on April 26.

The 16-year-old, a sixth-former at Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School, impressed with Vaga Luna, by Bellini, Blow The Wind Southerly and Schumann’s Widmung.

Rotarian John Jacklin said: “The standard of performance was very high and the judges remarked that they had had a difficult task naming winners in the two sections.”

In the instrumental section, 16-year-old Kathy Clarke, a Blackpool Sixth Form College student, on alto saxophone, emerged victorious, with classical guitarist Eliott Lord, 13, from Keswick, runner-up.

Casting their expert eye over the proceedings were chairman Stuart Corrie, assistant director of music at Rossall College, classical soprano Gemma Christie and Kirkham Grammar School musical director Justine Crook.

Other local finalists included 15-year-old pianist William Fielding and 16-year-old trumpeter Harry Martin, both QEGS students, Ben Fourie, 16, of Clitheroe Royal Grammar on the French horn, and vocalist Jessica Clarke, 12, who attends Chorley’s Southlands High.

Each winnerreceived a trophy, certificate and £50 in music vouchers, with the runners-up handed £25 prizes.

If any of the successful quartet triumph in South Cheshire they will be returning to East Lancashire in spring - Darwen Vale is the host venue for the national finals on May 16.

Grace will also be starring in a charity concert for Rosemere Cancer Centre at Blackburn Cathedral on Thursday, February 12, alongside the Clitheroe Royal Grammar band. For tickets call 01772 522193.